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Launching Saturn Vehicles 670395

The preparation of necessary facilities, the checkout and the launch of an Apollo/Saturn V vehicle is probably one of the most complicated and intricate single operation of our times. It is an orderly outgrowth of the firing many years ago of the first rocket propelled vehicle. But, you must add to this the advances being made in computer technology, communications, and even mechanical design before you have an idea of what is required in a launching of the Saturn V.

The Kennedy Space Center has had recent training with the Saturn I and the uprated Saturns but even these are dwarfed by the Apollo/Saturn V. New concepts have been devised such as the mobile concept, computer technologies, and advanced communications which enable a high degree of automation and remote control of the operation.

Certain management techniques have been used such as an activation board and a series of facilities tests. The use of contractors has been emphasized but the integration of contractor effort has been retained by the government.

The government has, for the many dollars spent and effort of many people expended, obtained a series of facilities most versatile in capabilities, a knowledge of how to perform many highly technical and intricate tasks and a team of people, both civil service and contractor, capable of performing a very complicated, arduous, and mutually interdependent task.